IAB Canada today announced that Chris Williams, Former Managing Director, and SVP at Media Contacts Canada, has been named IAB Canada’s new President, and will take the reins of the organization beginning June 14, 2012. The role was previously held by Paula Gignac, who was in the role for close to a decade. Chris is no stranger to the digital world, with a career of over 22 years of Agency experience (17 of it focused on Digital), led IAB Canada’s Agency Council for 4 years earlier in the organization’s history; has served on IAB Canada’s Board for the past 11 years; and comes to the position of IAB Canada President with a thorough understanding of both the industry’s and the organization’s key issues and priorities. Williams gained his broad perspective on Digital via his Agency dealings with Advertisers, Publishers and a wide variety of Service Providers, and is also one of only a handful of Canadian marketing professionals who have spent time in production, creative, media and management roles. Williams also brings with him a track record of success in building organizations, having established Media Contacts in Canada, where he grew the Agency from 2 to 16 staff and with double digit revenue growth every year.
Chris steps in at a critical time in IAB Canada’s history, some members have not renewed their membership due to feel a lack of membership value, and old way of thinking when it comes to the fast paced and changing landscape of digital advertising.